Don't Leave Me This Way....

I've been dreading the moment that separation anxiety would start to hit our household, but I think it has finally hit. Since Saturday morning, Alexandra has been getting pretty upset anytime I leave the room - this could be separation anxiety, but maybe it is just that she wants some extra soothing while she is sick (Double ear infections!! Poor little thing.) Either way, she is not a happy camper unless she can see me. At first, I considered it sweet that she wanted her mommy close by - however, as the weekend progressed, I found it increasingly difficult to get much of anything done. I even had to take her to the bathroom with me!! Mommies out there who read my blog - what do you think?? Does this sound like separation anxiety?? If so, how long should I expect this to last??

Happy V-Day!!

I'm not a big follower of Valentine's Day, but it's a good excuse (as if you need one!) to tell those around you how much you love them. I received a special treat from Ryan and Alexandra yesterday at work to let me know that they love me - these beautiful flowers!


Ryan tried to get my favorite (lilies) but they are not yet in season, so instead I got these absolutely gorgeous pink roses, cream tulips, hydrangea, and I'm not quite sure what that beautiful cream flower is in the front - any thoughts?? My whole office smells wonderful and people have been coming by in droves just to get a whiff. Thanks sweetheart!

I promise to post a picture of my girl in our version of a Valentine's outfit. I put her in a pink onesie and khakis this morning before sending her off to daycare, topped off with a beautiful little pink sweater with hearts on it that our dear friends Rick & Natalie in Houston gave to her. It's not a Valentine's sweater per se - but it is perfect for Valentine's Day! It was so cute at daycare this morning - when I peeked in Alexandra's cubby she had her first Valentines from her teacher, Miss Dorothy, and another little girl in the class named Jillian.

And just to prove I'm not a total softie, I had to share this picture from a forward that my dear friend Jane sent me to commemorate Valentine's Day. I guess my sense of humor is a little bit twisted, but I laughed out loud at this!


HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!

Strike a Pose

It's official, the ever-so-stylish First Lady will be appearing in next month's issue of Vogue with photographs taken by the uber-talented Annie Leibovitz. I don't regularly read Vogue, but I believe I will be tempted to pick up next month's copy to see the photographs. To read more about Michelle Obama's fashion sense, click here.

Dear Target

Dearest Target,

We have had a lovely relationship for more years than I can count. Many a good deal and a few steals I have found within your well-stocked aisles. In law school, I would frequently drive past a Meijer, Wal-Mart & K-Mart (all within 2 miles of my condo, I might add) just to see what kinds of fun things could be found on an run of the mill trip to pick up a tube of toothpaste. I often told my husband before he had experienced all of your greatness that one could enter your store with the intention of picking up aforementioned toothpaste and easily spend $100 or more on all kinds of neat "stuff." He didn't believe me, but don't you worry Target - he has seen the error of his ways and is now a Target devotee.

It was the icing on the cake two years ago when we moved to Louisville to discover that a Target store was less than 1 mile from our home. I found myself often stating, "Boy, am I in trouble," as I could literally WALK to your store. Maybe we were spoiled by the close proximity of your store, which would explain the difficulty we are experiencing in accepting that you have recently CLOSED our neighborhood store. It doesn't mend our broken hearts to learn that you are opening a Super Target in the same location at the end of October 2009...OCTOBER?!?! You mean we are going to have to hike across town to the nearest Target for nine months?? That's like an eternity - trust me, having been pregnant I can speak to how long 9 months can really seem.

We are completely heartbroken. We might even have to make a trip or two (gulp) to Wal-Mart till you deem all St. Matthews residents worthy of your super store.

With a heavy heart,

A Devoted Target Follower

On the Move

Hard to believe my little baby girl is 9 months old!! Alexandra was supposed to be a Derby baby, but came a day late. As we live in the home of the "most exciting two minutes in sports," I am constantly reminded of how many (or rather, how few) weeks there are till my little girl turns ONE. (Which is 82 days away - or 11 1/2 weeks - according to the official website for the 135th Kentucky Derby!).


My how time flies - it just doesn't seem right that we will celebrate our daughter's first birthday in just a couple of months. It sounds selfish, but a part of me wishes I could keep her this size forever. She's just so cuddly and sweet! I then shake it off and think of all the exciting times that the future holds and the memories we have yet to make.


Alexandra's 9 month check-up was last week. She weighed in at 17 pounds, 6 oz, which is the 25th percentile. Her length (the measurement I can't remember) is also at the 25th percentile. I have a little Einstein on my hands, though - her head circumference is in the 85th percentile!! And boy, is she showing us daily how smart she is - she's so observant and studies everything around her with such intensity. That's not to say she doesn't cut up! The daycare teachers tell us frequently what a happy baby she is - her little smile (with two bottom teeth and two top teeth about to pop up at any minute) lights up a room and her laugh warms everyone's hearts.


Alexandra was a little late in the game with some of her motor skills, but she is definitely making up for lost time as you can see from these photos! She's getting better at sitting everyday. She's also THIS close to crawling on her hands and knees - as of right now, she still employs the army crawl, using her little elbows and knees to scoot along on her belly. She covers a surprising amount of ground with this crawl!


We just love our little girl so much - I find myself practically running through the door every afternoon just to scoop her up in my arms and cover her with kisses, telling her how much I love her!

Biggest Lie of the Century

“Contractions aren’t that bad. If you’ve ever had bad cramps? That’s what they’re like.” - Jessica Alba

Who the hell is she kidding? Seriously, nominate this woman for a Darwin award, please.

Green Gone Too Far?

I'm not a big fan of SNL - haven't been really since the wonder years with Chris Farley, David Spade, Adam Sandler, Mike Myers and Dana Carvey. However, Ryan still records it on DVR and occasionally there will be something pretty funny. I think the following "commercial" is just one of those rare jewels...maybe this is too much "potty humor" for most, or maybe my sense of humor is pretty warped now after having a baby. Regardless, it is pretty funny, at least in our household!



I also thought this spoof with Justin Timberlake on Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" video was hilarious!:

Not the "Spitting Image", but definitely "A Chip Off the Old Block"

"Oh my goodness, she looks EXACTLY like her Daddy!!"

Ahhhh.....words I have come to hear MANY, MANY times since Alexandra was born. As the old cliche goes, if I had $1 for every time I heard these words or a similar sentiment, I could shake the Kentucky snow and ice from our collective shoes and move my little family to somewhere in the Caribbean...with white sand beaches, crystal blue water, where I can lay in a comfy hammock and sip on lime margaritas all day....yummmm......

...Where was I?? Oh yeah, back in cold Kentucky....sorry, I think the frigid temperatures have seeped into my brain.

So, as I was saying before I got lost in a balmy daydream, I constantly hear how much Alexandra looks like Ryan. From everyone. Family members. Friends. Daycare teachers. The cashier at Target. You get the drift. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I have a problem with my daughter bearing a strong resemblance to her father - Ryan was a darn cute little boy that grew up into a handsome man. It's just that after going through 40 weeks of swelling, nausea, fatigue, and all the other fun aspects of pregnancy you're never told about, followed by contraction pains that can take your breath away and could make a nun cuss (I still cannot recall the full extent of the obscenities that left my mouth before the sweet goodness of the epidural kicked in, but I'm sure my Mom and Ryan could tell you it would have made a sailor proud), you do want your child to look a bit like you.

When you constantly hear how much your daughter looks like your husband, you start to wonder - does this child look like me at all?? Is my only proof that she is mine the 4 inch scar running across my lower abdomen??

Leave it to my sweet Dad to bring me back to reality, that yes, my child does not only look like me, but she looks ALOT like me! Dad emailed me a picture this weekend of me when I was 8 months old in 197...well, we'll just say a while back. The proof is in the pictures - I definitely think we have the same eyes, what do you think??